Just off the southern coast of Newfoundland lies the island of Saint-Pierre, a French territory. Neel Auguste has been found guilty of murder, and according to French law he must be promptly and properly executed - by guillotine, of course. One is expected to arrive from France within the year. In the meantime, Neel is placed in the custody of the Captain, a well-respected man, eccentric in his methods yet unequalled in devotion to both his duty and his beautiful, headstrong wife, Madame La. Their undying commitment to one another is obvious to all, garnering them well-deserved loyalty and admiration in this tightly-knit community. Madame La, convinced all God’s creatures have goodness at their core, makes it her duty to rehabilitate Neel. Such boldness smacks of impropriety and whispers of infidelity soon spread throughout the town. With complete faith in his wife’s judgement, however, the Captain allows Neel to roam the island unfettered, to the dismay of the local establishment. When Neel is welcomed by the locals as an honest and hard-working member of society, Madame La’s faith seems vindicated. But the guillotine arrives and the sentence must be executed. Madame La will do whatever it takes to prevent the execution. And it is out of love for her that the Captain defies the established order and fulfills his destiny.

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Canadian Film Online is an interactive website devoted to the history of full-length feature filmmaking in Canada. This project was built by Athabasca University and is funded in part by the Canada Interactive Fund Program of Canadian Heritage.

Canadian Film Online is an interactive website devoted to the history of full-length feature filmmaking in Canada. This project was built by Athabasca University and is funded in part by the Canada Interactive Fund Program of Canadian Heritage.